


Dog Days

by unrequitedloveisabitch



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alive Hale Family, College Student Stiles, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Marking, Misunderstandings, background Scira, mentions of past stanny, mentions of past steather, mentions of past stydia, unprotected sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-23
Updated: 2014-09-23
Packaged: 2018-02-18 12:37:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,025
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2348672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unrequitedloveisabitch/pseuds/unrequitedloveisabitch
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With the help of their beloved canine companions, Stiles and Cora meet the summer before Stiles’ second year of college. Stiles never thought he would be sad to leave Beacon Hills when it was time to go back to school.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dog Days

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tryslora](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tryslora/gifts).



Stiles cursed and scraped his shoe on the side of the curb. Scott had only been gone for three days and things were already going to shit. Literally. It was this town. It was cursed. He was sure of it, no matter how much Scott argued that it was just his negative attitude. Scott, who was spending the last couple weeks of summer before going back to college with his new girlfriend. Stiles was only a little bitter. They’d had big plans to end the summer. Big plans. Stiles gave Scott shit about it, but really he understood. Kira was cool. He just hated having to spend the last two weeks in Beacon Hills by himself. 

“Damn people don’t know how to pick up after their damn dogs,” he muttered to himself angrily as he checked the bottom of the other shoe. Anakin, his own dog, stood on the sidewalk, impatient to continue with their walk, watching Stiles and whining every so often, cocking his head, which was a comical sight on him, with his massive head and small folded ears. Stiles gave his foot one last rub through the dewy morning grass. He had a little baggie container clipped to his dog’s leash and was always considerate enough to scoop his dogs poop. Unlike some people.

Anakin’s whining increased, and as Stiles was cursing irresponsible pet owners and glancing around for the culprit, the dog jerked the leash suddenly, snatching it right out of Stiles’ hand. He was a strong dog, but usually he didn’t know his own strength. “Anakin!” he snapped in exasperation, turning and expecting to see his dog standing nearby, having jerked the leash out of his hand in impatience. Instead. he was running down the road at full speed, leash dragging the ground behind him. “Anakin!” Stiles called again, starting after him, and the dog slowed and glanced back before continuing on around the corner at a trot, folded ears perked high and flag tail flying behind him.

Stiles cursed under his breath as he followed his dog’s path around the corner. The day was just getting worse and… okay maybe it wasn’t so bad? Anakin was in sight ahead, leash being held taut by the most beautiful girl Stiles had seen in Beacon Hills since Lydia Martin had moved away. Stiles slowed down. She had a dog of her own, which was why Anakin was bothering her in the first place, and she was struggling to keep the dogs apart. Stiles quickly ran a hand through his hair, trying to put it into some semblance of order, but knew it was probably useless; he’d just woken up when Anakin had started whining to go out, and he’d gone to sleep with wet hair the night before. He probably looked like a hobo, in his tattered, stained sweatpants and undershirt. But it was too late, she had already spotted him and was looking at him expectantly, waiting for him to come catch his runaway dog.

He approached at a trot, smiling at the girl when she looked up and met his eyes. Her lips twitched slightly and she looked him up and down subtly. “Yours?" she asked, nodding at Anakin.

“Yeah, sorry about that,” Stiles said, taking his dog’s leash from her hand and pulling him a short distance away. “He’s usually so good, I don’t know what got into him,” Stiles playfully rubbed the dog’s head, but Anakin wasn’t paying any attention to him. He was entirely focused on the beautiful girl’s dog, even straining at his leash. The dog was very pretty. She looked like a mutt, same as Anakin, but her ears were floppier and fluffier, kind of like a cocker spaniel. She was lighter in color than him, and only a little smaller, with a narrower face.

“Well, Damsel is just finishing up her heat, so that’s probably what has him misbehaving.” Her voice was nice, and her smile was nicer, even polite and distant as it was.

“Ah, yes, that’s probably…” she was pulling the leash, getting her dog’s attention and walking away. “Um, what kind of dog is she?” Stiles called, a little desperate to keep the girl talking, and the girl turned around, almost reluctantly. She smiled slightly. Stiles couldn’t get a good read on her. He couldn’t tell if she was just shy or if she really wanted to get away from him. Was he coming off as a creepy hobo? He hoped not.

“She’s a mutt,” the girl said with a shrug. “I think she has some spaniel and some border collie in her, but I’m not sure.”

“Mutt’s are the best dogs, aren’t they?” The girl just smiled slightly in response again. “She’s beautiful. How long have you had her?”

“She just turned four and I’ve had her since she was a puppy. What about Anakin? How long have you had him?”

Stiles couldn’t remember saying his dog’s name to her. “He’s almost six! Yeah, he was abandoned with a broken leg at the vet clinic in town when he was barely a year old; I’ve had him ever since he recovered from his surgery. He’s the cutest dog I’d ever seen; I don’t know how anybody could abandon him. Just look at that face!” he squished Anakin’s face, wrinkling it up, and pointed it at her. She laughed and Anakin wagged his tail at the noise.

“I found Damsel in New York. She was just a stray. Her mother had been hit by a car and her siblings had all died of hypothermia.” She looked down at the dog and smiled fondly. “She was a survivor.”

Stiles gaped at her for a moment, surprised at the sudden darkness of the story. “I’m Stiles, by the way,” he said when he realized he’d been gaping at her for too long and she was looking at him. He extended his hand and smiled again.

“Cora,” she said, shaking his hand and smiling back, a real, full smile this time. Stiles was in love.

***

Stiles was in love, and he was pretty sure it was unrequited. As per usual.

They had agreed to meet later at the dog park, and now they had been sitting in the park for almost an hour, just talking while their dogs played together.

He told her about his friends, and his school, and his dad’s health problems and romance with his best friend’s mom. She opened up, too, but not quite as much. Turns out she was originally from Beacon Hills, but she had moved away when she was still a kid. She didn’t say why. She’d come back with her brother a couple months ago and liked it. She’d stayed, but her brother hadn’t. She had a job at the local bakery, and a small studio apartment in Beacon Hills. Her family came to visit occasionally, but she was mostly alone. She didn’t know anyone in town. She didn’t go to college, but she wanted to get a degree in business and start her own bakery. She was also very single. The jury was still out on whether she was interested in Stiles or not.

He was still having a hard time reading her. She was reserved, but opinionated. She kept her distance, and didn’t touch him, but her whole body was turned toward him and she met his eyes a lot. She didn’t smile or laugh much, but her looks were intense and meaningful. She was passionate when she talked about baking, and her dog, and yoga, but she got quiet and closed off when the subject touched on her family or her past. She was a very confusing and contrary girl, and Stiles was starting to come to the conclusion that she just wanted to be friends.

“You know, it’s getting late,” Cora said, standing up from where she had been sitting on the top of a picnic table next to Stiles. She whistled for Damsel, who came running immediately, Anakin trailing behind her. “I have to go to work in a couple hours.”

“Oh, okay,” Stiles stood up, too, and glanced at his phone. “Wow, is that the time? I was supposed to meet my dad for lunch an hour ago.” He smiled sheepishly and Cora looked guilty.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to—“

“No, no! It was all me. It’s okay though, he probably went to lunch with his favorite deputy, anyway. I swear those two have been flirting with each other.” She laughed again, which was what he was going for. It was a wonderful sound. He stroked Damsel and Anakin absently as they jumped up onto the picnic table, ready for their leashes. “So…”

“So?”

“Sooo, our dogs seem to really like each other,” Stiles said, a hinting tone to his voice. Anakin snuffled at Damsel’s face, as if on cue, and licked her muzzle.

“Yeah, I noticed.” Cora was clipping Damsel to her leash, focusing on the task and not looking at Stiles.

“Well, it would be cruel to split them up and never give them the chance to see each other again.”

Cora glanced at him and raised an eyebrow. “Uh-huh…?”

“Well, I dunno, um maybe—“

“Get to the point,” Cora said impatiently, rubbing Anakin behind his ears, but Stiles could see a hint of a smile at the corners of her mouth.

“Maybe we should exchange numbers? Just to set up a play date for the dogs, of course.”

“Of course.”

“So that’s a yes?”

She bit her lip, as if considering it. “Sure. Just to avoid being cruel to the dogs. Of course.”

“Of course.”

They smiled at each other.

***

Stiles sat backwards on his desk chair, in his room, staring at his phone. It had been less than twelve hours since the last time Stiles had seen Cora, and he was debating on whether or not it was too soon to call already. He sighed in defeat and settled for a text.

[TO CORA:] ana misses damsel he wont shut up about her

He glanced over at Anakin, who stared at him balefully from his spot by the bedroom door. He wasn’t whining at the moment, but he’d been doing a lot of it since they got back from their walk. He looked back at his phone and regretted the text for almost five minutes before he got a reply.

[TO STILES:] Is he whining too? She wouldn’t shut up the whole time I was home!

He typed up a text and then stared at it for a full minute, debating whether or not to send it. He decided he should and, biting his lip, he hit send.

[TO CORA:] maybe we should meet at the park so they can play?

Cora’s message came quickly.

[TO STILES:] Okay. Is 3 good for you?

***

Stiles had spent nearly two weeks straight with Cora and their dogs. Jogging in the preserve in the morning. Taking a walk to the dog park on her lunch break at the bakery. Ordering pizza and watching movies at night after she got off work.

He was pretty sure she only wanted to be friends, but sometimes the way she would look at him, or respond to something he said or did, made him wonder. Neither of them had exactly broached the subject, however, so he still wasn’t 100% sure where they stood, and it was killing him. He just couldn’t figure out a way to declare his intentions now, without seeming like a friend-zoned “nice guy”.

He wanted anything she was willing to offer, though. She was beautiful and amazing and fun to be around. She was smart and sarcastic and she challenged him. He just wanted to be around her, as her friend, or as more. So he decided to just… keep his mouth shut. No sense making her feel uncomfortable and ruining their potentially amazing friendship if she didn’t like him back.

So he continued spending time with her and being her friend, and tried not to be too affected by his attraction to her.

There were two days left before his break was over, however, and he wanted to spend as much time with Cora as he could, even if it was just as friends. He sat in the bakery while she worked, ordering pastry after pastry just for an excuse to be there. Their dogs were at her place; he had been leaving Anakin there a lot lately, when the two of them went places that the dogs couldn’t. Stiles was pretty sure his dog was as smitten as he was. They had already worked out an arrangement for him to stay at Cora’s place while Stiles was at school; there was no way they could split up the two dogs now, and his dad worked all the time, anyway.

“Break time,” Cora announced, appearing at his table by the door, whipping off her apron and draping it over the chair across from Stiles before sitting down.

“Half an hour early, huh?” Stiles said, then realized it might be weird that he had her schedule memorized. She didn’t seem to care, though.

She shrugged. “It’s slow. You looked lonely.” She smiled, and it kind of seemed like she was mocking him. He could never tell with her.

“Yeah, well, I’ll be even lonelier in a couple days, when I go back to school.”

“Don’t remind me,” she grumbled.

Stiles smirked. “Why, gonna miss me?”

“You’re the only friend I have that lives in Beacon Hills. And you won’t be lonely at all; you’ll have Scott and your roommate, and everyone else. You’ll be busy with school, and—“

“And I’ll still miss you.” He finished for her. She was quiet for a moment, and he wondered if he’d gone too far. Then she looked up from where she’d been staring at her hands, a vulnerable look on her face. In moments like these, he was sure she liked him the same way he liked her.

“Well I won’t miss you. Ana and Damsel will keep me plenty of company, thank you very much.” Okay, so maybe she didn’t like him the same way after all.

“Aw, come on. Scott will be busy with his new girlfriend, and my roommate isn’t even really my friend. The only other people I’ve had time to meet are just acquaintances. I’m gonna be lonely, thinking about you, missing you, and you won’t spare a single thought for me?” He was being playful and teasing, but Cora sighed, seeming serious and resigned all of a sudden.

“I should probably get back to work.” She stood abruptly, snagging her apron from the back of the chair and breezing away before Stiles could reply, not that he would have known what to say, anyway. He watched her go, mouth open, wondering what he’d said wrong, now. Maybe it had been the “lonely and thinking about you” thing; now that he was looking back on it, that did seem a bit pervy, even though that wasn’t how he’d meant it. Maybe he hadn’t come across as jokingly as he’d meant, and she thought he was pushing her. Maybe she knew he liked her and he’d made her uncomfortable after all!

He quickly finished his tea and got up to leave. What must she think of him always sitting in the bakery? Did he seem creepy? Like he was stalking her? He’d thought she wanted him around, but maybe he’d been wrong. He went to the front desk to pay, mind still pre-occupied. He felt like he should apologize to her, somehow, for some reason. But he didn’t know how, or for what.

“You leaving, Stiles?” Cora’s co-worker, Kendra, asked him as he approached the counter. She smiled warmly at him and he couldn’t help but give her a small smile back.

“Yeah, I just need to pay my tab.”

Kendra nodded and pushed a few buttons. “Eight scones and four teas?” Kendra asked in disbelief. “That sound right to you?”

Stiles nodded, pulling his wallet out of his back pocket. “Yep.”

She told him his total. “Oh, honey, you must really like that girl.”

Stiles looked at her quickly, hands freezing where they were opening his wallet. “What?”

“Cora. You must really like her, huh?”

Stiles unfroze, pulling out the money and handing it to her. He offered a weak smile. “Yeah. We’re really good friends.”

“Mmm-hmm. Okay. Here’s your change, honey.” She handed him his change. He put it in the tips jar and she beamed at him. “You’re gonna be back at eight to give her a ride home, right?” Kendra asked as he got to the door. He turned around to look at her, unsure how to say that Cora probably didn’t want to see him and would most likely rather take the bus. “Because you’re the one that brought her, and she hates the bus.”

Stiles sighed. “Yeah, I’ll be back at eight. Let her know? Tell her to text me if she has another ride.”

“See you later, Stiles!” Kendra called as he went through the door. He waved a goodbye over his shoulder.

***

Cora had heard the entire conversation between Stiles and Kendra, of course. Werewolf hearing could be both a blessing and a curse.

‘Yeah we’re really good friends’

Stiles’ words played over and over again in her head. All they were was friends? Did most human guys want to fuck their female friends? Because she could smell low-level arousal coming from him almost constantly when he was around her, with occasional spikes. Did he think of her as only a friend because he couldn’t see himself being in a relationship with her? Did he want to fuck her and nothing else, and that’s why he had been so nice to her?

Stiles had hardly ever lied to her, and when he had it was never serious. He always seemed completely genuine in his friendship for her, in her opinion, anyway. She had thought maybe it was leading somewhere, that maybe they were getting to know each other first before he made a move. But the longer she waited, the more she thought he never would make a move. Now he was saying they were just “really good friends”. What the hell was that?

“Honey, you know you still have thirty minutes for your break,” Kendra said as Cora passed by the register, lost in thought. “Now would be the best time to take it, since we’re not busy.”

“Oh, yeah, thanks Kendra,” Cora said, distractedly. What the hell was the thing about having another ride, too? “tell her to text me if she has another ride”??? He knew she wasn’t close with anyone else in Beacon Hills. Who else would give her a ride? Did he want her to take the bus?

She needed to call her sister. Laura would know, she had a lot more experience with the opposite sex than Cora did.

She called home as she went out the back, headed toward the old bench under the tree at the back of the employee parking lot. The phone rang and rang and nobody picked up. That wasn’t so unusual. Laura was out a lot, their mother was a very busy woman, and Derek and Peter had both been known to sit five feet away from the ringing telephone and completely ignore it. She tried Laura’s cell and it went straight to voicemail. With a sigh, she pocketed her phone and resigned herself to figuring out the confusing human boy on her own. She leaned back on the bench and took a deep breath of fresh air, trying to relax and enjoy her break, even though she couldn’t banish thoughts of Stiles from her head.

Her phone rang, then, and she snatched it out of her pocket, hoping it was Laura calling her back. It was the home number. Maybe it was her. “Hello?”

“Hey, sis,” a masculine voice, definitely not Laura. “You called?”

“Yeah, is Laura around?”

“Well hello to you, too.”

“Sorry, it’s just kind of important, and I’m on break so I don’t have very long to talk.”

“Well, she’s on a date.”

“With Robbie?”

“No, with Travis. Robbie was apparently too childish. There was a Sam in there, somewhere, too, between Robbie and Travis. She says he was only interested in starting a family and it creeped her out.” Cora sighed. Laura went through men very quickly. According to her, she was trying to find her mate. Cora thought she would have a lot more luck if she was more open to possibilities, instead of dating only werewolf guys, but Laura had a thing about not dating humans, ever since Derek’s fiasco with Paige. “So what’s so important that you can’t talk to me about it?”

“Guy troubles. You wouldn’t understand.”

“You’re dating someone? Finally?”

“No. That’s the problem.”

“I’m not following.”

Cora sighed again. She didn’t really want to talk to Derek about Stiles. He was sensitive when it came to relationships with humans. She wasn’t sure he would approve. “Wellll…..”

“Come on, you can tell me. I won’t make fun of you I promise.”

“Okay. There’s this guy I’ve been spending time with the last couple weeks. I really like him, and I thought he liked me, but we haven’t defined the relationship, and I overheard him telling someone we were just good friends.”

Derek was quiet for a while, and she knew he was digesting the fact that the guy she was talking about was obviously human.

“Things are tricky with humans,” he finally said, and she wanted to roll her eyes. She knew he had been really hurt by Paige’s rejection, but not all humans were as intolerant. “If he were a werewolf, you wouldn’t have to “define the relationship” because you could both smell whether or not the other was interested.”

“I know, Derek, thank you. But he’s not a werewolf, and there are no eligible werewolf guys around here. Can you focus on my problem and try not to fixate on the fact that he’s a human?”

It was Derek’s turn to sigh, now. “Okay, well, he probably just said you guys were friends because he didn’t know how you felt about him. If he seems like he’s interested in you, he probably is. Remember, he can’t smell you. He doesn’t know if you like him unless you tell him. So maybe he’s tiptoeing around the issue because he doesn’t want to make any assumptions that might piss you off.”

Relationships with humans were complicated.

“Thanks Derek that… makes sense. I actually feel a lot better.”

“Glad to help.” Derek said drily. “Anything else?”

“No, I should probably get back to work. You’re still coming to visit next moon, right?”

“Wouldn’t miss it. And, hey…”

“Yeah?”

“… Are you really serious about this guy?”

“I don’t know. I think so. He’s really great.”

“Well, if you decide you’re serious about him, tell him the truth. Tell him before you take things any further. Don’t let the same thing that happened to me—“

“I won’t. I promise. I’ll tell him.”

“Okay. Love you, Core.”

“Love you, too.”

She hung up, and her mind was even more muddled than it had been before, but for different reasons now. She still wasn’t sure if Stiles liked her, despite was Derek had told her. She still had that uncomfortable feeling that maybe he just wanted to sleep with her. Either way, she was going to tell him how she felt and let the chips fall where they may. What was bothering her most, now, was whether or not Stiles would accept her for what she was. Her telling him that she liked him went hand in hand with telling him she was a werewolf. She couldn’t do one without the other. She couldn’t start a relationship with him and continue lying to him. That’s where Derek had gone wrong with Paige.

No matter what happened, after tonight, she would have her answer.

***

It was 7:58, and Stiles had never gotten a text from Cora, telling him not to come get her. So there he was, sitting in his jeep in the parking lot, debating on whether or not he should go inside and tell her he was there, or just wait for her to come out and see him.

Before he could decide, the decision was made for him. Cora came striding out of the bakery and purposefully toward his jeep. Her walk was so deliberate and determined that he was sure she was about to tell him off for being there. Maybe he’d missed her text or something, and she didn’t want him here, and he was just coming off as creepy. Again.

He braced himself as she drew closer to the jeep, but she just opened the passenger door and climbed in. She turned to smile and greet him, but her smile faded as she looked at him. “Is something wrong?” She glanced down at his shirt. He must have had a weird look on his face. He schooled it into a more cheerful expression and glanced down, too, to see what she was looking at. There was nothing there. “You didn’t have to come if you didn’t want to,” Cora said suddenly, and he looked back up at her. “I could have taken the bus.”

“Kendra said you hated the bus. Why wouldn’t I come?”

“I don’t know, but you… seem twitchy. Uneasy.”

“Well, you looked angry when you came out. I thought you were still mad at me.”

“When was I mad at you?”

“You seemed mad earlier.” He shrugged. She sighed and stayed quiet, looking out the window. He started the car. He’d take her home whether she was mad at him or not, or pretending not to be, or whatever. He’d leave her alone, too. He wouldn’t push her again.

“I’m sorry,” she said finally, when they were halfway to her place. “It’s just… I don’t like relaying on another person for my happiness. That’s why I got a dog.” Stiles snickered along with her. “I’m not mad at you. Not at all. I’m more… mad at myself.”

“For what?”

“For liking you,” she said quickly. “For liking someone who might not like me back, who probably only wants to have sex with me, who is leaving in a few days and won’t be back for months and will most likely meet someone while he’s gone.” She spoke so fast Stiles almost couldn’t understand her, and she was looking out the window, scowling.

They were stopped at a red light, and Stiles just gaped at her for a moment, until someone behind him honked to let him know the light was green. “Wait, are you talking about me?” Stiles said as he hit the gas, still trying to gape at her.

“Watch the road!”

“It sounds like you’re talking about me,” Stiles said, eyes back on the road, but he stole little glances at her. “And if you are, you have it all wrong. I don’t want to have sex with you.”

“Oh, gee, thanks for clearing that up,” Cora said sarcastically.

“No, I mean—fuck! Of course I want to have sex with you! I mean, I don’t only want to have sex with you. I like you. A lot,” he huffed out a laugh, “And all this time I thought you didn’t like me.” Cora didn’t reply, didn’t say anything for a while. She was quiet, and Stiles waited, eyes on the road as he drove. When he stopped at another red light, he finally looked at her. She was chewing her thumbnail and staring at the dashboard. “I can’t believe this whole time we liked each other and were both pretending to be just friends,” he said, a little bitter. They could have been making out all week!

Cora was still quiet when he pulled up to her apartment. She sat there, still for a moment. Then she turned and looked at him. “Wanna come up?”

Stiles stared at her for a moment, mind turning over the possibilities of what she could mean, then he nodded, mouth gaping dumbly, deciding that whatever she meant was fine with him. She smiled and climbed out of the jeep and he tumbled out after her.

***

They were quiet as they climbed the stairs to her apartment, not exchanging a single word between them. As Cora climbed higher and higher, her anticipation grew greater and greater. She knew exactly why she was inviting him upstairs, and from the smell of him, he knew, too. Or at least hoped.

She unlocked her door, still silent, fumbling with the keys a bit in nervous anticipation. Her nosy neighbor Ms. Woodbury peeked out to see who had come gallivanting up the stairs, and she could feel Stiles move a little bit closer to her. She could feel the heat of him along her back, as his scent wrapped around her, and her wolf practically vibrated with pleasure, making her almost drop her keys. She heard the door down the hall click closed as the nosy old bat retreated into her cave, and she finally got the key into the lock and turned it, opened the door to let Stiles into her den.

She flicked on the lights as she came in behind him and shut the door with a noise that sounded very loud to her sensitive ears. When he turned around to look at her, peeling off his jacket in a move that seemed like pure sex, she wanted to pounce on him right there. The look in his eyes, if nothing else, made her want him so much already. He watched her carefully, intensely, just waiting to see what she would do, waiting for her to come to him, but with a tense stance that spoke of barely restrained desire.

If we have sex now, it will just be goodbye sex, she reminded herself. He’s leaving.

She thought about that, and realized that she didn’t really care. She’d wanted Stiles from the first moment she met him, and, yeah, sure, now she wanted more than just to get into his pants, but that wasn’t going to stop her from getting into his pants. She didn’t know what would happen after, beyond Stiles going back to school, but she figured they’d cross that bridge when they came to it, and with the way he was looking at her, she figured he was on the same page.

Tell him before you take things any further.

Derek’s words came to her all of a sudden, and she stopped, halfway to Stiles. With a sigh, she turned away from him and flopped onto her couch, kicking off her shoes and curling her bare feet underneath her legs. He looked a little confused as he came to sit next to her, perching on the edge of the couch cushion tensely.

“I brought you up here to have sex with you,” she said bluntly, and Stiles’ heartbeat sped up as he swallowed. “But I can’t. Not yet. There’s something I have to tell you first. I don’t know if it even matters, since you’re leaving in two days, anyway, but I really like you, and I want more than just sex with you, so I feel like I have to tell you.” She took a deep breath, unable to continue. She’d never told a human about herself before. She didn’t know where to start. How not to sound crazy. How to keep from scaring him away.

“I want more than sex, too,” Stiles said seriously. “I told you I liked you. Couldn’t you tell I wasn’t lying?”

Of course she could tell. She could hear his heartbeat. But that couldn’t be what he meant. “You might not feel the same after you hear what I have to say.”

“Nothing could make me feel any differently about you,” Stiles reassured her, completely and utterly serious. Again, not lying.

“This might.”

“I promise it won’t.”

She was up off the couch and pacing, then, like a caged animal. She was thinking, trying to decide how best to word it, and he was getting impatient.

“Should I guess?” he asked, and she glared at him. It wasn’t a no. “I’m gonna guess.”

“Stiles—“ 

“Do you have a kid? ‘Cause I’m great with kids.”

“I’m only twenty!”

“That’s not too young to have a kid.” She gave him a look. “Okay, okay, no kid. Do you have a penis? Because, you know, I go both ways.” He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Cora couldn’t help but laugh. “Stiles,” she groaned in exasperation.

“That wasn’t a no.”

“No!”

“Okay, no penis.” They both laughed, and she was suddenly grateful to him for lightening the moment. It made her a little less anxious about telling him the truth. “Are you from a family of wanted criminals who would kill me if I ever told anyone about them? Because I promise I won’t say a word.”

“Nope,” Cora said with a chuckle, flopping back onto the couch, content, now, to let him guess while she tried to think of the best way to tell him. “I mean, my uncle is a wanted criminal, but no one would kill you if you told anyone about him. In fact they’d probably thank you. Especially my brother.”

Stiles laughed. “Every family has one. Okay, not in the mob. Um, are you seeing someone else? Because that’s about the only thing—“

“Nope, just you.” Stiles heartbeat quickened for a moment, and he smiled, seeming pleased.

“Just me. That’s good to know.” They looked at each other for a moment, and then his gaze dropped to her mouth. She licked her lips in reflex, and his eyes darkened, the scent of his arousal filling the space between them, hers rising up in answer. “Are you a powerful supernatural creature that’s planning on eating me?” Stiles asked suddenly, and his smile was gone. He didn’t sound like he was joking. “Because, if so, I’m fine with your supernatural status, as long as you don’t eat me.” He wasn’t lying, but she still couldn’t quite tell if he was joking. He had to be, right? She stared at him for a moment, trying to judge his seriousness, and he tore his gaze away from her mouth to look at her eyes. “Whoa, I’m right?” he said in surprise, and she just gaped at him. “I knew it! I thought maybe I was just being paranoid, but I knew it! You’re a werewolf, right?” Cora continued to gape at him. What the hell was she supposed to say? Was this guy crazy, or was he a hunter, or was he…?

“How did you know?” she asked finally, after sensing that he was indeed completely serious. Her voice was quiet and reserved, trying not to betray anything she felt. She was tense, ready to fight, just in case.

“I saw your eyes flash in the light a couple of times. You’ve growled before. And you’re not very subtle with your sniffing.” He chuckled, and she just looked at him. “My best friend is a werewolf,” he said in explanation.

“Scott?”

“That’s the one!”

“Why didn’t you say anything before?” She relaxed, mostly, convinced she wasn’t under threat at the moment.

“Why didn’t you? I don’t know, I guess I wasn’t sure, and I didn’t want to freak you out if I was imagining things. Besides, your eyes are yellow, so I was pretty sure you weren’t planning on eating me. Unless I’m meant to be your first human kill. If that’s the case, I must warn you that I am very stringy and chewy and don’t taste very good.” She gave him another look, and he grinned and winked. “Well, now that we got the huge revelation out of the way…” He trailed off. He was poking fun at her, and she glared for a moment, but then realized what he was hinting at.

Right. The sex. The reason she’d brought him upstairs in the first place. She felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She didn’t have to hide anything from Stiles anymore. She was luckier than her brother had been. Her chosen human mate had accepted her.

She leaned forward suddenly, grasping his head in her hands, and touching her mouth to his. She was tense at first, somehow waiting for him to push her away. He didn’t though, he pulled her closer after a brief moment of surprise, embraced her, and she sighed and melted into his arms, but the angle was awkward. When he tried to tug her closer, she just swung her leg over and climbed onto his lap.

“I’ve been wanting to do this… since I first saw you…” Stiles said between kisses, hands kneading at her hips and thighs. She just rolled her hips down against him in response, and he groaned and gripped her tighter.

***

He heard the soft groan come involuntarily from his own throat as she slid against him, body moving restlessly against his. One hand slid beneath the thin fabric of her shirt, fingers seeking the soft, warm expanse of skin. She had a velvety rose-petal feel to her, and his hands couldn’t get enough. That coupled with the faint scent of apples, and her panting and shuddering breath, was driving him crazy.

He turned them, surged forward, pressing her down into the couch underneath him, getting off on the fact that she just let him, just pulled him closer and wrapped her legs around his hips. She was a strong, powerful werewolf and he could make her shudder and groan underneath him, and that was a heady feeling.

He stroked her flat, firm belly with the pads of his long fingers, absorbing the feel of her, committing her to memory. Her tongue slid against his, stroking and caressing. His hand closed over her breast as his mouth broke away from hers. He trailed kisses and nips down her throat, nibbling along her neck and jaw, down to her breasts. He bunched her shirt up in one fist and closed his mouth over her hard nipple through the cotton of her sports bra. Suckling strongly, he ran the edge of his teeth over the hard nub, and she cried out, arching against him, pressing more deeply into him. One of his hands came up to roughly massage the soft mound of the breast that wasn’t in his mouth. His other hand trailed slowly, questioningly lower, over her taut belly, to the waistband of her shorts. Giving her time to stop him. As if she couldn’t at any time she wanted.

Her rolling hips was all the answer he needed, and his hand slipped beneath the rough denim and into the cotton of her panties. Her back arched, a guttural moan leaving her throat as his fingers found her slick wet heat. He scraped his teeth over her nipple as he stroked his thumb in a teasing slide around her clit, and her needy whimper went straight to his cock.

“God, Stiles, I knew your hands would be amazing,” she moaned, head thrown back on the arm of the couch and throat bared. Stiles only grinned and bit down on her neck in response, circling his thumb just a little harder around her clit and slipping his fingers inside her. She gasped and jerked against him, groaning as her hips moved against his hand in long luxurious rolls, her orgasm shuddering through her, leaving her breathless. He licked at the mark he’d left on her neck, knowing it would be gone soon, and then pulled back to look at her as he settled between her legs. “Fuck,” she groaned, sounding a bit awed as she looked up at him.

“I’m not done with you yet,” he said. His voice was low and hoarse and his erection strained at the front of his jeans, pressing against her. She rolled her hips against him, but the angle was difficult as they lay on the couch.

“Let’s move to the bed,” She breathed. “It’ll be more comfortable. Better leverage.” She rolled her hips again weakly, leg half trapped underneath his own. His eyes shuttered and he nodded and pulled her up with him. “Condoms?” he asked suddenly.

She smirked at him. “Werewolf. Remember? Immune to STDs and unable to get pregnant unless I’m in heat.” She shimmied out of her shorts and panties on her way over to the bed and whipped her shirt and bra off in one go, apparently not self-conscious at all. She turned, maybe to see if he was following, and laughed when she saw him just standing there, mouth gaping as he looked her up and down.

“Oh my god,” he said, unable to keep the reverent tone from his voice. Her skin flushed a little under his gaze. He felt dazed, and his pants felt way too tight.

“Stiles, come here,” she said hoarsely, eyes hooded and intense and… oh shit, glowing. Why was that so hot? He pulled his shirt over his head as he crossed the room to the bed, to Cora, clothes suddenly feeling extremely restricting. She had left the lamp in the corner on. He’d actually never had sex with the light on before, and it made him hesitate to take his pants off for a brief moment. But then Cora was in front of him, naked, touching him, unbuttoning his pants for him, and he forgot what he had been nervous about.

His breath came out in a rush as her fingers slipped into the waistband of his underwear and tugged, and she was so close her pebbled nipples brushing his chest with the movement. She gasped at the sensation, eyes flaring again, and he couldn’t help but kiss her, pulling her against his bare chest so she would gasp again. She groaned, sounding a little desperate and jerked on his pants, hard.

There was an uncomfortable tug and a ripping sound, and Cora froze. When he pulled back to look at her, she looked mortified, and he glanced down at where her hands had been gripping his jeans. There was a rip right through the denim next to the button and he just gaped for a moment.

“I am so sorry.” She put her hands over her face for a moment, as if embarrassed, and Stiles couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped. A gorgeous werewolf had just tried to rip his jeans off because she was so desperate for him. That was pretty fucking hot, actually.

When she took her hands off her face, Stiles was already kicking his pants and underwear away and toeing off his socks. “I didn’t like those jeans, anyway,” he said softly as he crossed the few inches she had put between them and reached for her. Her face was red. He smoothed his hand over her cheek, brushing his thumb along her jaw and tilting her head up so he could kiss her. She didn’t respond for a moment, and he was about to stop when she wrapped her arms around him and plastered herself against him.

He backed her up, towards the bed, and she gladly scrambled backward onto it, gaze intense on him as he followed her, crawling over her and between her legs as she parted them eagerly. He brushed against her, and she was already so wet and ready. She groaned and arched up to him, grasping at his shoulders and baring her throat, which he knew was a very trusting gesture for a werewolf. “Stiles,” she gasped, tone pleading, but he wasn’t ready yet.

He nipped at her collarbone and down, licked strongly over her bare nipple and drank in her desperate moan. She clutched at his hair, and the prick of his scalp made his dick twitch, oddly enough. He never realized he’d like having his hair pulled before. “You smell so good,” he breathed against the skin of her belly, and she whimpered, fingers tightening as his teeth scraped her skin, and his lips dragged lower and lower.

He kissed her inner thigh and she started trembling. He kissed the crease of her thigh, and then softly kissed her clit, and she keened, one hand leaving his hair to claw at the sheets. At the first soft lick against her clit, Stiles heard another ripping sound, and he realized her claws had torn through the sheets. He vaguely worried for the safety of his scalp as her other hand moved through his hair, but he trusted her not to hurt him.

He circled her clit with his tongue and sucked on it lightly, keeping in mind that she had just come a few minutes ago, over on the couch, and she would probably still be sensitive. She keened again and lifted her hips, unable to keep still any more. “Now, Stiles, please,” she groaned, grasping at his arms and pulling him up, back on top of her.

“I wasn’t done,” he complained, licking at her nipple, scraping his teeth over it and making her moan again. He would never get tired of that sound.

Then there was a rumbling growl, and that was the only warning he got before Cora was flipping him over and climbing on top of him, eyes glowing and teeth suspiciously pointy. He looked up at her from his new vantage point and grinned. He had no complaints. She sank down on him with a shuddery groan, and he groaned with her, his fingers digging into her thighs and his hips straining up as she took him all the way in.

They began to move together, quickly learning each other’s rhythm. Cora dropped to her hands, both of them above Stiles’ head, and Stiles couldn’t resist the temptation staring him right in the face. He licked and mouthed at her nipples as she rode him, making her whimper and grind harder against him, trying to get some friction on her clit and driving his own orgasm much closer. He reached between them and touched her there, rubbing the sensitive flesh in a soft rhythmic stroke as they moved. She clenched around him, jerked hard against him as she came, her hips rolling more strongly for a moment as she gasped and shook.

She kept moving as her orgasm rushed through her and turned into aftershocks, mouth open against his chest and neck. She started to bite and suck at his skin as she moved, no doubt leaving marks on him. He was so close to coming his hips were stuttering erratically. She bit him, hard, and the way she trembling he could swear she was coming again. That thought pushed him over the edge, and he let out a strangled groaned and thrust into her one last time with a shudder.

She nestled herself against his chest and sighed with what seemed like contentment as Stiles caught his breath. When she lifted her head to look at him, a self-satisfied, almost smug grin on her face, his heart stuttered.

“You’re staying the night,” she said, “and we’re doing that at least one more time.”

Again, Stiles had no complaints whatsoever.

***

Cora was slowly coming to wakefulness. Her room was filled with light, for some reason. She must have forgotten to pull the blinds before going to sleep. She went in and out of a light sleep, thinking about her bright room and half dreaming. A steady, rhythmic pounding was beating in her ears, and at first she thought someone was beating on her front door. When she realized it was another heartbeat, she awoke with a start, sitting bolt upright in bed.

Stiles lay in bed next to her, seemingly naked, and the whole night flooded back in a rush. She smiled and flopped back onto her pillows, looking over at him again. His face was turned toward her, his mouth open and a tiny trickle of drool leaking from the corner. He was lying diagonally on the bed, one foot almost touching the floor, one arm trapped underneath him, head on the mattress instead of a pillow. He was adorable.

Cora hadn’t had very many sexual partners in her lifetime, but she knew good sex when she had it. And holy god. She hadn’t known it could be that great with a human! The way he moved his hips, and the things he could do with those hands!

She realized she was staring at him dopily, and simultaneously realized she didn’t care.

Too bad he was leaving tomorrow.

She sighed and flopped back onto her pillow, happy bubble bursting as quickly as it had inflated.

Thoughts and possibilities ran through her head. Maybe she could follow him, find a job in his college town? Maybe they could get a place together, and she could take a few classes? Maybe he could transfer to Beacon Hills University and move into her place? She sighed, knowing none of that would ever work. And if even if it could, it was a bit too soon in their relationship to be living together. At least for Stiles. The way she understood it, humans had a long period of courting and dating and getting to know each other before they moved in together. One amazing night in bed wasn’t enough for them, unfortunately. As for werewolves, well, one night would be more than enough to know whether two werewolves would work out with each other in the long-term. It was a matter of rank, and scent, and chemistry, and mating signals.

Dating a human was so complicated.

***

When Stiles woke up, the first thing he noticed was that the light in his bedroom seemed weird. Then he remembered where he was, and his eyes snapped open. He was in Cora’s bed. Alone. The bathroom door was open and it was dark inside. Cora wasn’t in the tiny studio apartment. Damsel was at the side of the bed, wagging her tail and looking at him expectantly, as if wondering where Luke was. Or maybe wanting to go out.

He sat up and looked around, scratching Damsel behind the ears absently, wondering if Cora had walked her before she left. She wagged her tail, eating up the attention, and he glanced around. Their clothes were still scattered in a trail leading from the couch to the bed. Stiles scrambled up off the bed and quickly pulled his pants on, sans underwear. He was buttoning them when the front door opened, and he spun around in surprise, leaving them unbuttoned.

Cora froze in the doorway. She had coffee, and a bag from the bakery. “Going somewhere?” she asked, frowning slightly as she unfroze, came in, and shut the door behind her, raising the food bag up above Damsel’s twitching nose.

Stiles shook his head, smiling, and his stomach growled loudly when the scent of food reached him. “Just didn’t want to be walking around naked.”

“I was hoping you’d still be asleep when I got back,” Cora admitted as she handed him the bag. “But I would have been fine coming home to you walking around naked.” He smirked and dug into the pastries and coffee she had bought, saving the sausage biscuits for her, because he knew they were her favorite.

Stiles made a noise of satisfaction as he took a sip of his coffee. She had gotten it exactly how he liked it. She smiled slightly, seeming pleased as she took the biscuits he offered. Damsel came and sat near them, staring at them expectantly and Cora looked at her. She snapped her fingers and pointed, and Damsel drooped a little and ambled over to her bed, flopping down and sighing heavily. Stiles wished he could get Anakin to behave like that. Must be a werewolf thing.

After they finished breakfast, Cora went over and gave Damsel a chunk of leftover sausage and patted her on the head. “Good girl.” Damsel’s tail thumped the wall. “I have to go to work in an hour,” Cora said, and it took Stiles a minute to realize she was talking to him. “Will you give me a ride?”

“Yeah, sure. Definitely.”

“I need to take a shower first. Wanna join me?” She smirked playfully and Stiles nodded dumbly.

“Definitely.”

***

Stiles drove Cora home after work that night, and they spent half an hour making out in the car before Stiles’ dad called to see if he was going to be home for dinner. He invited her to come, too, but she declined. This was the last night he’d be here. He was leaving in the morning. He should have dinner with just his dad.

Cora was just getting inside when her phone vibrated in her pocket. She checked it. It was Laura. She took a deep breath before answering. “Hey.”

“Hey little sis,” Cora rolled her eyes. “How did things go with that guy?”

“Derek told you?”

“Yep, every little detail, and then he bitched for an hour about how the guy was human and would probably break your heart.” Cora sighed. She felt bad about Derek’s reasons for his bitterness toward relationships with humans, so she would never say “I told you so”, no matter how much she wanted to. “So?” Laura drew out the word in a lilting tone. “How did it go? Did you have sex with him?”

“Yes. Last night. And I met his dad today, too.”

“You met his father already?” Laura sounded almost scandalized, and Cora wanted to laugh.

“Yeah, he came by the bakery today and we talked for a while. He’s really nice. He’s the sheriff, by the way.”

“Sheriff Stilinski? You’re dating his son?”

“Yeah, I mean, I think we’re dating. He said he wanted to…”

“Have you told this guy anything yet?”

“Um, well, I tried telling him but he… already knew.”

“What?!”

“No, it’s okay,” Cora rushed to say. She had expected this reaction. “His best friend is a werewolf. He’s not—he doesn’t—“

Laura breathed out loudly, and Cora couldn’t tell if it was in relief or frustration or what. “Be careful, Core. You can’t trust humans.”

Cora didn’t agree, but she didn’t reply. The line was quiet for almost a minute. Laura finally cracked. “So, does he—“

Cora interrupted her, not wanting to talk about Stiles anymore right now. “How did it go with Trevor?”

“Who?”

“The guy you went out with yesterday.”

“Travis,” Laura clarified, sounding a little offended.

“Whatever.”

“He’s nice. He’s really cute. He’s really nice. Maybe too nice. I don’t think I like him.”

“Too nice?” Cora said in disbelief. That sounded like exactly what Laura needed. “Now you’re just looking for things to be wrong with them.”

“You just don’t understand.”

“Yeah, I know. As usual. Look, I gotta go, okay? I just got home and I have things to do.”

“Cora, I didn’t mean—“

“Yeah I got it. Love you. Bye.” She hung up before Laura could say anything else and let out a long breath, trying to relax. She really did love her family, but there was a reason she didn’t live in the same state as them.

When she went to bed that night, she had trouble getting to sleep. She had a lot on her mind. Damsel came over and nudged at her arm, whined softly. Cora smiled and patted the bed, letting her up, and the dog curled up at her side. She ran her fingers through Damsel’s soft fur until she drifted to sleep.

***

Waking up in the morning and realizing that he was leaving was like a rude jolt back into reality for Stiles. No more Cora. No more Anakin and Damsel. No more lunches with his dad. He’d get to see Scott again, but probably not much of him. They would be busy with school, and Scott would be busy with Kira. He was really going to miss Beacon Hills, and that wasn’t something he ever thought could happen.

Things were amazing with Cora. He was pretty sure he was in love with her, and he didn’t think she would mind too much if she knew it. Maybe she would even reciprocate his feelings? Not that he was going to tell her, though. It was a bit too soon for that now, wasn’t it? They’d only known each other a couple weeks, had only had one night together, had only been officially dating for a day. Way too soon for “I love you” even if that was how he felt. Right?

He was wary of his own feelings though. He tended to fall hard and fast, and he had been in love before. What if this turned out like that? What if his feelings were too much for Cora and he stifled her and drove her away? Just like Heather, and Danny, and Lydia.

He had a few hours before he had to leave, and he was already all packed up. Anakin had been following him around, whining, and giving him sad looks all afternoon, knowing something was going on, but not really sure what. He was planning on taking Anakin over to Cora’s on his way out of town, so he could spend some time with her before he left. 

He walked and fed the dog, and had breakfast with his dad was usual, making him pancakes and an egg white omelet. His dad got a familiar purple paper bag out of the back of the cabinet and winked at Stiles before opening it and pulling out two blueberry scones. Cora’s specialty at the bakery.

“I met her when I went down there yesterday,” his dad said, handing him a scone. “She was very nice. Very pretty. And she bakes like a dream.”

Stiles didn’t even have to ask his dad how he’d known. He was the sheriff’s son and Cora was the new girl. Of course people talked. “So you like her?” He asked hesitantly. It wouldn’t matter either way. He loved her and that was the point. But his father’s opinion was important…

He finished up the last of his scone, making Stiles wait for his answer. Then he smiled. “She’s great, son. You have my approval whether you want it or not.”

Stiles let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding and smiled back.

When his dad was leaving for work, he gave Stiles an extra tight, extra long hug, and Stiles squeezed him back, knowing this would be the last time he’d see him before he left.

“I’m gonna miss you, kid,” his dad said gruffly, and Stiles’ could feel his eyes getting a little wet.

“Yeah, me too, dad. I’m gonna miss you.” Since this was the first time he’d been back home since going to school, it was almost like leaving for the first time all over again.

“I love you, son. You be good. Work hard.” The sheriff said as he walked down the front steps. Stiles stood in the doorway.

“I will. Love you, too.” He waved as his dad pulled out, closing the door as he disappeared down the road.

Stiles figured he’d better get Anakin’s things together before it was time to go. He wanted to leave early so he would have more time with Cora. He wanted to see as much of her as possible before he left, and he had been bummed last night when she hadn’t come to dinner with him and his dad.

Anakin seemed alarmed as Stiles emptied his food dishes and put them in a trash bag, followed by his toys, his bed, and Homeward Bound, his favorite movie. He whined in distress as Stiles tied the bag shut and put it by the door, then brought his bags down to put next to Anakin’s. The dog paced in front of the door as Stiles walked around the house, making sure he hadn’t forgotten anything, keys and leash in hand.

As he was putting the bags in the back of the jeep, his phone rang. It was Scott, and he answered the phone distractedly as he clipped on the dog’s leash and locked the door behind them on his way out.

“Are you coming back yet?” Scott asked eagerly, and Stiles grinned.

“Why, you miss me?”

“Yeah, dude, Kira keeps kicking my ass in Mortal Kombat and I’m tired of losing.”

Stiles snorted. “Thanks a lot man.”

“No but, really. Hurry back okay?”

“I haven’t even left yet, and I have to go by my girlfriend’s house before I do and say goodbye,” he said, overly casual. Scott was silent for a moment.

“Girlfriend?! When did you have time to get a girlfriend?!”

“Well, we’ve only been officially dating since last night. At least I think I think we’re officially dating. We didn’t really clarify that.”

“And she knows you’re leaving today?”

“Yeah, I’ve been hanging out with her all week. She’s, um” he cleared his throat. “Full moon challenged. You know, like you.”

“Stiles—“ Scott sounded worried.

“Don’t worry, man. She’s not psycho or anything, and her pack all live in Oregon.”

“What’s her name? I want to check her out with Deaton.”

“Cora Hale, and she is… amazing.”

“Uh-oh, sounds like someone is in love again,” Scott said, mildly teasing, and it sounded like he was smiling.

Stiles felt a jolt of doubt. “Is that weird? Is it too soon? Should I—“

“No, man,” Scott interrupted him. “It’s cool. She likes you, too, right?”

“Well, yeah. I mean, I think she does. She said she did. She said she wanted more than just sex.”

“Sounds like she likes you a lot. You should tell her how you feel before you leave.”

“You think? You don’t think that’s too much pressure?”

“How could it be? You’re telling her before you leave. She has plenty of time to think about it before you see her again.”

“Good point,” he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “You really think I should—“

“Yes! Trust me, if she told you she wants to be with you, it means something. It’s a werewolf thing.”

“So I should go for it?”

“Definitely. Go tell her how you feel, have some nice emotional sex, and come the hell back to school. I miss you.” Scott hung up, leaving Stiles smiling as he backed down the driveway.

***

Cora heard the jeep pull into the parking lot. It wasn’t that it was particularly loud, but she knew the sound of it. Damsel did, too. She was up in the window, tail wagging excitedly as Stiles and Anakin arrived.

She opened the door just as he got to it, and his hand was raised to knock. He smiled when he saw her, and she pulled him inside and kissed him. Anakin darted past their legs to greet Damsel, and Cora shut the door by pressing Stiles up against it. He dropped the garbage bag he’d been holding and wrapped his arms around her.

“What’s that?” she said against his mouth.

“Huh?” he said pulling back to look at her, sounding dazed. She looked down at the bag, and he followed her gaze.

“Oh, that. Anakin’s stuff.” He pulled her in for a kiss again and she melted into his arms, as usual.

“I made you some scones to take with you,” Cora said as she pulled away again. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to fall right into bed with him, because she definitely did, but this was the last time she would see him for a while, so she wanted to make sure she said everything she needed to say before her mind got muddled in a haze of sex. She just hoped he wasn’t in a rush.

“That reminds me,” Stiles said, following her into the tiny kitchen area. “I hear you met my dad.”

“Yeah, he came by the bakery and got a box of my scones.”

“A box?! Oh my god.”

“Don’t worry, my scones are organic, vegan, and gluten-free. That’s why I recommended them to him.”

Stiles seemed aghast. “But… they’re so good.”

She chuckled. “Thanks. Healthy stuff can be good, too, you know.”

“Not in my experience.”

She rolled her eyes affectionately and handed him a purple box with the bakery logo on it. “One of every kind.” Stiles gave her an adoring look. Then he got serious, setting down the box on the counter and turning to face her.

“It might be too soon to say this, but I’m in love with you.”

Cora was shocked to hear him say it. She had been thinking the words all day, wanting to say them herself, to tell him just in case she never got another chance. Just in case he met someone else at college and moved on from her. In fact, she had been planning a whole speech for when he came over, but he’d beat her to the punch. She never thought that Stiles would actually feel the same way. She kissed him in response, smiling against his mouth, and he kissed her back after a moment of happy surprise.

“You’re just saying that because you like my scones,” she said teasingly, looking up at him.

“I must admit, that is a factor,” Stiles teased back, and she poked him in the side playfully, making him snort and flinch away. She pulled him back though, and wrapped her arms around him.

“I’m in love with you, too,” she said into his chest, just in case he didn’t get it.

“I kinda thought you were.” She could hear the smile in his voice.

She pulled back and looked up at him, and he wrapped his arms loosely around her shoulders, keeping her close. “I can’t wait for you to meet my family!” She said with a big smile, confident that everything would work out.

Stiles’ own smile faded a bit, became nervous at the prospect of being introduced to a pack of werewolves, and he eyed her warily. “What.”

**Author's Note:**

> How I imagined Anakin: https://www.flickr.com/photos/hhildrethphoto/12736569843  
> How I imagined Damsel: https://www.flickr.com/photos/32286983@N05/8583581961
> 
> In case you didn't get it, Anakin's name refers to the Star Wars character Anakin Skywalker, since Stiles loves Star wars so much.  
> Damsel's name is supposed to be ironic, I guess.


End file.
